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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

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My New Decorating Handbook Is Now Available For Pre-Order!

Annie Elliott | April 11, 2025

It’s revised, expanded, and just plain better! But first:

HELLO, Gentle Readers! We’ve been busy over here at Annie Elliott Design! We moved into a new studio (I’m just waiting for some wallpaper — of course — and then I’ll tell you all about it), some client projects are really heating up, we have a new employee…stuff’s been happening!

Sneak peek!

Oh, yes: and then there’s the WORLD. But that’s not what we talk about here ;)

You may recall that a few years ago I published a decorating handbook: My Neighbor Saw Me Naked, and Other Reasons You Need Drapes: The Most Important Things You Need To Know About Decorating. I know; the title was too long. Especially that last part.

Watercolor illustration of green striped sofa
The former book’s cover, by Tania Lee

Well, I’m delighted to announce that Artisan Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, is publishing a REVISED AND EXPANDED book! There are new chapters and new topics, such as rug pads and platform beds versus boxsprings. There also are new, charming illustrations by the unparalleled Tania Lee.

By Tania Lee

It is, simply put, a better book. Don’t worry, though: it’s still amusing enough to read in the tub.

Blue and white book cover with watercolor illustrations
The new book! I love the little lamp on the spine – by Tania Lee, of course :)

The subtitle is MUCH better than the original: The Essential Decorating Handbook. Simple yet descriptive. As my mother said (I’m paraphrasing), “Maybe this book will be to decorating what Strunk & White is to grammar.” One can only hope!

The book will be released on August 12, but it would be FABULOUS if you could pre-order one or two (or several) right now. It’s available through all the usual places, including Politics and Prose. Links to order are here.

Watercolor of antique chest and modern chair

My Neighbor Saw Me Naked is an excellent host/hostess gift, wedding present, congratulations-on-your-new-abode gift, etc. And it’s still purse-sized, so obviously you need one at the ready.

Thank you for reading, for bearing with me as I blog less often to attend to matters mentioned earlier, and above all, for making the world a better place by making your corner of it beautiful.

Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, D.C. If a reimagined, joy-filled home is on your must-have list for 2025, please contact us today. I’d love to speak with you about your project.

If you would rather not receive blog notices in your in-box, you may unsubscribe here.

Category: How-toTag: Artisan, book, decorating guid, decorating handbook, furniture, Hachette, how to decorate, paint colors, wallpaper

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Jun 3

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It’s Wallpaper Wednesday! This week we feature Paper Trail by Lewis and Wood. Lewis and Wood launched Paper Trail in the fall of 2025 as one of four patterns in their History Papers Collection. Paper Trail was inspired by ancient rock carvings - 600–2,000 years old! - from various sites in America. It was named after the site Newspaper Rock, Utah.You know I love anything with an animal :) But there are 2 genres, right? Juvenile and…let’s call it *versatile*. To me, Paper Trail falls into the latter category, featuring deer, horses, buffalo, and foxes on a background that resembles the texture of rocks. It’s primitive, not cartoonish. I could see using this in a small bedroom; a breakfast nook (why? Can’t tell you, it’s just a feeling); or a hallway, because the pattern isn’t overwhelming.#wallpaperinspo #interiordesign #homedesign

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May 28

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For those of you lucky enough to have a beach house, now’s the time to start thinking about decorating beyond traditional “costal decor!” Step one? Consider a color palette other than blue and white ;) See my latest blog post for more! 🏖️ 🐚#beachhouseinteriors #interiordesign #eastcoast

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May 22

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I follow two rules when mixing patterns in the same space: vary the scale, and vary the subject.I was excited to share this and other insights on pattern splicing with @ericafinamore from @apartmenttherapy! #interiordesign #patternsplicing #patternmixing #designopinions #annieelliottdesign

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May 20

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It’s Wallpaper Wednesday! This week we’re featuring Deconstructed Stripe by Schumacher (in collaboration with Miles Redd).This pattern pays tribute to the legendary decorator Albert Hadley. Redd was inspired by Hadley’s contemporary, streamlined designs that played with scale and proportion. Deconstructed Stripe is impactful on its own but also looks INCREDIBLE next to other patterns.@schumacher1889 #designinspo #wallpaper #interiordesigner

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May 19

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HuffPost asked for my thoughts about the new White House ballroom. As you can imagine, I have many. I was so delighted to be included in this conversation! Thank you, @huffpost and @carsar91!#interiordesign #whitehouse #designopinions #annieelliottdesign

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May 13

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I was thrilled to attend Imar Lyman’s exhibition opening at the Kreeger recently! I’ve loved his work for years and am lucky enough to own one of his silkscreens (ours is of Frederick Douglass). He’s moved from portraiture to abstraction, but he still does some work in collage, which I confess is my favorite ;) The exhibition is up through July 11. Play hooky one afternoon and go.(The last painting is by Frank Stella, by the way — an influence on the artist, as you can see!)@imarhutchins @kreegermuseum

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May 11

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I’ve decided that spring cleaning is not enough this year. Spring MAKEOVERS are in store!Read my latest blog post to see before-and-after photos of some past and current projects. It’s heavy on pictures, light on commentary…the blog version of a beach read to give you a jump on summer 🏖️.

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May 8

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It was an honor to be a sponsor of the 87th annual Flower Mart at the National Cathedral! My  daughters have been trekking up to the Cathedral for this event since they were little - wonderful memories. This year, my favorite flower display was the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office; those peonies smelled UNBELIEVABLE! 🌺 🌼 🌷 🌻! Switzerland was a close second ;)

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May 6

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For today’s Wallpaper Wednesday, we discuss Hicks Grand by David Hicks.The British interior designer created the smaller-scale Hicks Hexagon in the 1960s and later scaled up the pattern to create Hicks Grand. The contemporary, geometric, honeycomb repeat adds intrigue and depth to any room. I have only used the smaller Hicks Hexagon (stairway picture), but I LOVE the scale of Hicks Grand. Fun fact: The Hicks Hexagon pattern was used on the rugs in the Overlook Hotel’ hallways in The Shining 😱#wallpaperinspo #interiorinspiration #hicksandgrand
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